My almost-17yo daughter has been using my guitars up to now, which works out fine while we're both living in the same house, but it's about time she had her own. It's her birthday coming up, so we've been talking about getting her an acoustic.
We need to go out and try a few different styles and sizes, but I think she'll be after something bigger-bodied than my parlour but smaller and more comfortable than a dread. She's got quite into doing open mics, so something that suits the solo-singer-with-guitar thing (my parlour works quite well, but sounds better picked and she's more of a strummy player than I am, although she does do some picking as well). I suppose that would be 00 or OM sizes would it?
Anyway, once she's decided what type of guitar she wants, we'll be on the lookout for one, so looking for any recommendations for what's good. No strict budget in mind, but let's say up to £500, but happy to buy second hand. My Tanglewood solid mahogany parlour cost me less than £200* new (reduced because supposedly marked in storage but I never found anything) and I think it's a fantastic bargain (that was quite a few years ago now though), and I've heard lots of good things about Faith guitars, but otherwise I don't really know much about acoustics.
Couple more points: needs to have a pickup (but I think pretty much all acoustics do now apart from the very high-end ones) and purely aesthetically she's not keen on the usual acoustic very light top, so would prefer something that's available with a stain or some other colouring (but I always associate painted acoustics with "cheap" so if that's the case I'm sure she could learn to live with anaemic spruce).
So, over to the forum wisdom... what do you think we should be looking at?
* EDIT - looks like my Tanglewood would cost me £350 now
Comments
Brunswick Grand Auditorium Tobacco Burst
But whatever make or model, try first if you can
The only guild I've played was a 12-string I borrowed for a recording once - was very nice from what I remember. TBH I would have assumed Guild to be out of my price range, so thanks for the mention @munckee
@PD1598 - I'm no price snob so if a less-expensive guitar fits the bill that's a good thing. That £500 was really just an arbitrary figure to give an idea of what I'm prepared to spend and avoid people pointlessly suggesting £3000 Martins and the like.
@hollywoodrox I'd forgotten about Sigma - aren't they Martin's "Epiphone equivalent"?
you'll pick up a good'un for under £500. Nice size and fun (easy) to play and sound pretty good
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
Bags more volume than the body size suggested and so easy to play, so a worthy consideration here
I've always had high end expensive acoustics, and was happily going along with my excellent Atkins The 43. My mate bought the Guild, and I couldn't believe how good it played and felt. I ordered one new day.
Straight out the box is was perfectly set up and in tune.
Sold the 43.
Love the Guild still. Great play and feel, and stays in tune for ever.
The guitars are all downstairs and the staff are jolly people. There are small rooms where they are happy for customers to try out instruments away from other peoples ears. Quite important for student players like your daughter I think. Its easy to get a bit overwhelmed by the buying process when you're young. The LS range has been suggested but the FS guitars might be more in your price range. In Yamaha terminology S equates to Concert size/Martin 0 size instruments so smaller than Yamaha marques with G in which are dreadnought sized and L which are Jumbos - but any shop (and you!) will help with all this and your daughter can try them all out to see which suit. Good Luck.
Sigma hasn't had anything to do with Martin for more than 15 years. Sigma started in 1970 as Martin's cheaper offshore brand, but made in Japan where quality is a way of life. The brand rapidly became well respected. However, Martin kept trying to cut costs, eventually shifting production to South Korea, then again to Taiwan, and finally to Indonesia. They couldn't find anywhere even cheaper than Indonesia, so in 2007 they closed it up.
The brand resurfaced when a German company bought the name and started importing guitars from China under the Sigma brand. They are still doing that. Yes, they are guitars from the usual Chinese factories with the usual opaque timber sourcing and labour practices, but many people regard them as among the better examples of their kind. The ones I've played (only a handful) have been consistent with that view.
OK, enough obscure detail you don't need to know. What to buy for your daughter? As always, you have to play them. But one make I would look at for sure would be Dowina.
The majority will be solid top and laminate back and sides. The vast majority will probably be far Eastern made.
A non natural/burst finish, etc will reduce choice somewhat.
Second hand will probably get you an all solid guitar, but beware of over priced used models.
You could buy an acoustic and have an aftermarket pickup installed. I realise this is complicating the process, but IMO you'll probably end up with a "better" guitar overall.
If you're not confident about doing it yourself, factor in money for a set up. Nut, saddle, frets, etc.
Youtube is OK for demos/reviews (with the usual caveats). The rule of thumb (if possible) is of course, try before you buy.
Sorry for not being specific in terms of brands and models, etc but the choice and overall quality at this price point is generally quite consistent.
This model on ebay is definitely worth considering:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Walden-Concorda-CG2010-Acoustic-Guitar-Walden-Hard-Case-Immaculate-Cond/134148907008?hash=item1f3be5e000:g:KEIAAOSwa85iaY8O&pageci=b00a9962-e40b-4275-9f10-ea4b4669fa2e&redirect=mobile
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
I think it may be discontinued now but there are bargains around...
https://www.guitar.co.uk/guild-m120e-electro-acoustic-guitar
They're not as dull-looking in reality as some of the catalogue photos make it look - the mahogany grain figure is quite light-dependent so it has a bit of 'sparkle' to it as you move it around.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
My mahogany Tanglewood looks quite nice IMO (although a bit '70s furniture) - and it's all solid wood and didn't cost me much. I'm sure there's some hope of finding something nice for £500ish. As I said, that's not a strict budget - but, apart from not wanting to spend a fortune, she's likely to be living in a student house in a year or so, so probably best not to have anything too valuable!
I'm sure she could learn to live with a light-coloured top if a guitar she likes doesn't come in any other finish.
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.